You may have no choice about which date to choose if the
event is a wedding or birthday party, but if you have a choice there are one or two tips
that may help.

The Time

It is important that the timing of the event matches the
lifestyles of you participants. You should be aware that, unlike a disco, a barn dance
cannot even start until you have a reasonable number of people present and willing to take
part. You do not want to start too early, or some people (including the Band and Caller)
may be hanging around for a long time. Equally you do not want to start too late or people
will start leaving just as the dance is getting going.

My preference for an isolated Barn Dance (i.e. not linked
with a wedding reception, school play, harvest supper, etc) is

8 p.m. until 11.30 p.m.

Few people turn up before 8.15, whatever time you put on the
tickets.

If you say 11.30 finish, but tell the musicians and caller
that it can run on until midnight if it is going well. That way the 'punters' go home
happy.

If you say 1 a.m. finish and most or the people leave at
midnight, then the event just 'peters out'. It is not perceived as a success, even if it
was going very well at 11 o'clock.

Most Barn Dances actually start about 8.30 and end about
11.45.

Beware of "Sunday Laws" and "School
Rules" if your location and timing are likely to encounter them.

I have had a Caretaker switch of all the power and lights
during the last dance as he thought we would not be out by midnight. Not a good PR move
for him, or the organiser of the Barn Dance. Fortunately, most caretakers are much more
amenable, but it is not a good idea to upset them, ( nor the local branch of the Lord's
Day Observance Society).